Begin and End With a Kiss
by FatesMistake
Summary: Harry kisses Snape in the middle of class and when he confronts Snape with why, he gets dismissed. Additionally, Harry gets a real first date. Rating for safety. Every story any of us write is officially AU, does it really need to be said anymore?
1. First Kiss

A/N: So, this was inspired by an image in my head of Harry (or Snape, though Harry was a more likely candidate) slowly backing away after a kiss, lips still pursed and shock written all over both participants faces. Yes, this nearly 4,000 word story stemmed from that little image. Who says writing isn't an art form? Fair warning, I kind of made Harry a crier. In my defense, it wasn't by choice, the story wrote itself as they always do.

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Harry pulled away slowly, his lips still pursed from the kiss he'd just planted on Snape's mouth. The Potions Master didn't move, didn't even blink, he stood completely frozen, still leaning halfway over Harry's desk from before the kiss when he'd been yelling in the Seventh Year's face. The boy wonder grabbed his bag and fled, ignoring the gaping faces of his classmates. He raced his shadow to the tree at the edge of the lake before he allowed the shock of what he'd just done to bring him to his knees. What had he been thinking? That was easy, he obviously hadn't been.

The Wizarding Saviour smacked his head into the trunk of the tree for good measure as his friends came racing up the lawn towards him. "What the hell happened back there, Harry?" Draco demanded, sitting with Ron and Hermione in the shade of the tree.

Harry turned to face them and pulled his knees up to his chest. "I don't know! I just… He was yelling, and all I could think about was how soft his lips looked and how much I wanted him to bloody well shut up. Then I kissed him and his lips were as soft as they looked and-and…Merlin I fucked up." He breathed in dismay, crossing his legs and burying his face in his hands.

Hermione gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "This isn't the first time you've thought about him like that, is it?" Ron wrinkled his nose at the thought and the girl cuffed him upside the head without taking her eyes off their distraught friend.

Harry shook his head miserably. "No, the last couple months I haven't been able to stop thinking about his mouth, his elegant hands, that gorgeous voice, how even when he's being a complete ass he's doing it to protect us from ourselves, and-" He stopped, biting his lip to prevent himself from saying more, and looked up sharply. "I've been poisoned, that's it. Someone gave me a love potion for Snape out of some cruel joke!"

"That would certainly explain the sudden interest in the greasy bastard," Draco agreed.

Ron agreed as well, making Hermione shake her head in exasperation. "Boys are so dense." She muttered, scooting closer to Harry on her knees. "It's not all of a sudden, Harry, you've always had a certain interest in each other. Maybe it started out innocent enough, but ever since Fifth Year it's been different, you've gone out of your way to pick fights with Snape and get detentions with him, all of us have seen it." She pulled the smaller wizard against her in a tight, comforting hug. "Oh, Harry, you're falling in love."

Ron grimaced. "Bad luck, mate. Snape of all people."

Harry gave a dry sob in defeat. Now that Hermione had said it, he knew she was right, and so was Ron, in his own way. "I'm going to be expelled because I couldn't figure out my own damn emotions," He lamented morosely. Draco started to snicker, making Harry glare at the blond Slytherin. "It's not funny, Dray! I kissed a teacher! Merlin, if he can't prove it was one-sided assault he could lose his job!" He began to hyperventilate from the panic that thought invoked.

"I'm sorry," Draco, said, trying to stifle his laughter. "Sometimes I forget that you weren't born in the Wizarding World, Harry. We're not like the Muggles, we have means of proving if a student was coerced, and in Seventh Year you _can_ date a teacher, because the assignments they hand out are more or less specific reviews for your NEWTs rather than important grade stuffs."

"Draco's right, Harry," Ron butted in. "And Snape can't very well say you assaulted him, can he? I mean, if a bloke kisses a stranger at the pub he isn't committing assault, is he?"

Harry shrugged. "I guess not, though I think the stranger might have something to say about it. Still, I might as well have ripped my own heart out of my chest and plopped it into today's potions for as much good as this does me. I accosted him, guys, I'm never going to be able to look him in the eye again after this." He put his head in his hands in utter dejection. "I am so screwed."

Draco chuckled lightly. "I think the issue in this case is that you _aren't_, actually."

Harry smiled despite himself as Ron and Hermione tried to smother their own laughter. He shoved the Slytherin over to sprawl on the grass, sending them all into peels of laughter. "Shut up, Draco. Let's just go to lunch before I find some other way to embarrass myself completely." The four friends got up and started the trek back to the castle. "What are you doing out here anyway, besides checking up on me? It's not like you to run out of Snape's class, and you knew where I'd be."

The other three shrugged. "Snape dismissed us almost immediately after you left," Ron explained. "It was sort of funny, watching him blink himself out of the stupor you put him in then glare at us like we were simpletons. He sort of growled for us to get out, and the whole class high-tailed it. I don't think anyone wanted to be there in case he blew up."

Harry sighed. "Any chance I'll be able to avoid him outside of class, you think?"

"Potter!"

Harry flinched and stared resolutely at the flagstone as Snape's footsteps approached their group. "Not even a little," Draco murmured as the three of them flanked him protectively.

Harry ducked his head between his shoulders and stuffed his hands into his pockets as Snape pointed toes came to a stop just inside his line of vision. "Yes sir?" He asked calmly.

"Detention, Potter, tonight. No one leaves my class before being dismissed for any reason short of severe injury." That said, the man turned sharply and stalked away.

"Don't suppose he meant detention with Filch," Harry wondered aloud.

"Nope," His friends answered simultaneously.

He sighed again and allowed them to lead him towards the Great Hall. "Didn't think so." He muttered bitterly.

His first plan had been to not go at all. Snape couldn't kill him if he wasn't there, right? Hermione had poked a rather large hole in his bubble by reminding him that not going would only earn him twice as many detentions and a loss in House points. Ron suggested he show up and kiss the man again, just for the sake of doing so, and they agreed it would be a last resort for beating a hasty retreat if things got out of hand. Draco was the one to smack some sense into him. He was a Gryffindor, where was his never-ending supply of courage? He'd already gotten himself into the mess by rushing in headlong without considering the consequences, now as a proper Gryffindor he needed to face up.

That was why Harry was stood outside Snape's office trying to will his hands to stop sweating as he knocked on the door. He was glad he'd forgone his robe, the cool dungeon air helping dry his hands enough to get the door open when Snape instructed him to enter. He walked to the center of the dimly lit office, the door closing behind him.

"Have a seat, Potter."

Harry kept his eyes fixed on the front edge of Snape's desk as he did what he was told. He had to bite his tongue to keep from blurting out a plethora of nonsense apologies. He waited as he felt Snape's eyes bore into him.

"Would you care to explain your actions today in class, Mister Potter?" Snape's tone was unusually polite.

Harry sucked in a deep breath. "To be honest, Professor, I don't think any explanation I could give you would be terribly satisfactory. I sort of did it on impulse." Snape remained silent and Harry knew he expected more than just that lame excuse. He sighed. "I guess I…Well, I like you, sir. A lot, apparently, though I didn't openly acknowledge it until I kis- until I accosted you this morning in class." He risked looking up into Snape's carefully blank face. "I'm sorry, Sir, I realize my feelings are probably unwanted, but I can't help it. I really do like you…romantically, as it were."

Harry chewed his lip nervously as Snape seemed to consider his words. "I see," The man said at last, his eyes still entirely emotionless. "You are dismissed, Mister Potter. See that you don't interrupt my class again with this issue."

Harry looked away and nodded as he felt tears well up in his eyes. Just like that, he'd been utterly turned down. No explanation, no 'I'm not gay' or 'I don't date so much younger', just a dismissal. The young Gryffindor could feel the cold of the dungeons acutely now and stood up.

"Sorry I wasted your time, Professor Snape, it won't happen again," He mumbled, aware that his voice was thick from the terrible ache in his chest. He turned and left the office quickly, barely making it into the corridor before the tears started to fall unabated.

Harry made his way back to the 7th floor half-blind from his unending tears and walked into the Room of Requirement where his friends were waiting for him. He collapsed onto the couch they'd called up and laid his head in Hermione's lap, sniffling. He curled his legs up as Ron and Draco came over from their chess game. Ron sat at his feet while Draco sat on a pillow in front of him, taking his hand comfortingly. When he was sure he could talk without his voice cracking too much, he told them what happened.

"Oh, Harry, I'm sorry," Hermione cooed when he'd finished.

"He didn't say anything else? Just dismissed you?" Draco asked. Harry nodded sadly, tears still falling from his eyes.

"Don't worry about it, Mate, Snape's a bastard," Ron said reassuringly, rubbing Harry's shoulder soothingly.

"Ron!" Hermione said sharply.

Harry shook his head and sat up. "No, he's right, 'Mione, I should have known better. Just because I stopped feeling anger for the man doesn't mean I should have expected reciprocation. I'm an idiot for thinking Snape could ever see me as someone worthy of his love."

"Don't you dare say that, Potter," Draco told him savagely. "Snape's the idiot here, he's the one not worthy of your love."

Ron grinned. "Besides, what can you expect from Snape? Did you think he'd open his arms wide to you and tell you to," The redhead paused to cover his mouth and breathe heavily into it. "Come to the dark side." He finished in a deep voice.

Harry laughed despite himself, glad they'd all watched the movies over the Summer. "You're such a berk, Ron," he laughed, shoving his friend's shoulder playfully. Ron shoved him back.

"Wait, does that make Harry Luke Skywalker?" Hermione asked.

Ron nodded. "Course! He's Luke, you're Leia, I'm Han, and Dumbledore's Yoda."

"What about me?" Draco put in curiously.

The three Gryffindors exchanged a look and answered him altogether. "Chewy."

Draco laughed and beat his chest while imitating Chewbaca's groan. The other three joined him and spent the next few minutes doing their best to copy the unusual noise before collapsing into fits of laughter.

When the laughter started to die down, Harry wiped his eyes. "You guys are horrible. I'm just not allowed to feel depressed for a few minutes, am I?" They all shook their heads and he grinned. "Thanks. You're right, I shouldn't let the old Dungeon Bat get to me like that. Hell, maybe I'll find someone better."

"Maybe?" Ron scoffed. "Harry, anyone who takes your love and holds it close is better than the berk who threw it in your face."

Harry nodded and hugged his friends gratefully. His chest still felt like a werewolf had gotten a hold of his heart, but at least he knew his friends were by his side a hundred percent.

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Before you read Chapter 2, do me a favor and let me know if the ending for this chapter was alright. I'd also like to see how many people feel I've given away the ending already, and what that ending is.


	2. First Date

It had been three days since Harry had confessed his feelings for Snape. They'd had one more class with him earlier that day, and despite his promise to his friends that he'd hold his head high Harry had walked in with his head bowed in remembered despair. He sat through the class just waiting for Snape to pick on him for slumping in his chair and not taking notes, but the man ignored him.

Now the four friends were walking down the brightly lit corridor from Charms, their last class of the day, animatedly discussing what they would do tomorrow, since it was a Hogsmeade weekend. Harry laughed as Ron and Draco got into a fight over whether to visit Zonko's or Weasley Wizard Wheezes first. He skipped ahead slightly and turned so he was walking backwards in front of them.

"Ron's right, we should visit Zonko's first for posterity. It's our last year, guys, and this is the last Hogsmeade weekend. Fred and George would understand," He said. Draco agreed reluctantly.

"Harry, you're going to run into someone if you keep doing that," Hermione warned.

Harry shrugged. "People will move or be stepped on. As long as I don't run into a wall I'll be fine. So what should we do after we visit the joke shops? I was thinking we should save Honeyduke's for last, so we don't eat too much chocolate."

"Yeah," Ron nodded. "I need to visit Gladrags to get some new shirts, and I remember, 'Mione, you said you wanted to get some socks?"

"Yes, and Harry and Draco both said they wanted new shoes, right?"

The two boys nodded. "I also wanted to look into the new jeweler, see if they've got a nice necklace I can give Luna for her birthday," Harry said. He reached into his pocket. "I already got the chain, but I want to find the perfect pendant to welcome her into adulthood." He showed them a crystal box containing a silver chain inset with small beads of amethyst and rose quartz.

They all looked at the chain with awe, so no one was looking up to warn him that he was about to run into someone that wasn't moving. Harry grunted as his back hit a solid shoulder, and stumbled forward. He pocketed the box quickly and turned, paling as he saw Snape standing there.

"I'm so sorry, sir, I wasn't watching where I was going and…I'm so sorry, sir," Harry repeated lamely. He moved around Snape with a small apologetic nod to McGonagall, who Snape had been talking to, and walked hurriedly along the corridor, his friends jogging to catch up.

"Harry, stop, I'm wearing a skirt," Hermione moaned.

The Gryffindor Golden Boy slowed to a normal pace as his friends caught up. "I'm a fucking walking disaster. The Fates hate me, that's all there is to it. I did something to piss off the universe and now it's getting payback by making me look like an utter fool in front of that gorgeous bastard," Harry mumbled. "What is _wrong_ with me?"

"Potter."

Harry froze and turned as Snape approached them from several feet down the corridor. He managed to keep his eyes level with the man's chest, still refusing to look into the endless pools of black the man called eyes as the man cam closer. When Snape was in front of them he produced the chain Harry had had in the crystal box.

"I believe you dropped this, Potter," Snape said smoothly. Harry nodded and moved to grab it from Snape's open palm, but Snape grabbed his hand in a gentle, albeit firm grip. Without thinking, Harry looked up into the man's eyes. "Potter, I wonder," The Potions Master began softly before pausing. Harry watched the man swallow thickly and glance around the bustling corridor, wondering at the nervousness he sensed. Snape's eyes found his again, and bored into him "Would you care to accompany me to dinner, tonight, in Hogsmeade at 8, to discuss the meaning behind the stones in this necklace?"

Harry stared, wide-eyed, unable to think. He felt Draco jab an elbow into his ribs and blurted out an automatic 'yes'. Snape nodded sharply and left, leaving Harry to wonder what had just happened.

"Did I just get asked out?"

"Yup." Hermione said gleefully.

Harry looked at Draco. "By Snape?"

"Fairly certain, yeah."

"And I said yes?"

Ron snickered. "Well, you more vomited the word than said it, but same principle."

Harry groaned and buried his face in his hands, only then realizing he was clutching Luna's necklace. "I must be out of my mind. I thought we'd agreed to hate him?"

Draco looked down the corridor where they could still see Snape stalking away through the throng of students. "Apparently, your theory about the universe working against you has merit, then, doesn't it?"

Harry smacked the blond. "I have five hours to figure out what I'm going to wear for my first real date. Don't mock me, or I'll tell Pansy to do you as well."

Draco threw his hands up in surrender and looked down the corridor. "Speak of the devil. Pansy!" The girl turned and walked over to them from the window where she'd been chatting with some younger girls. "Guess who needs a makeover for their first date?"

The girl raised an eyebrow. "Well, it's not you, you're not even a virgin anymore, and Ron and I have had our first date already, ages ago." She looked at Hermione expectantly, but the bushy-haired Gryffindor shook her head, pointing to Harry. Pansy squealed. "Oh, fab! I've been dying to dress you up in something proper! Draco, mind if I borrow your wardrobe?"

Harry groaned as his friends dragged him down to the Slytherin dorms.

The date had started out awkward, with Harry meeting Snape at the front gate of the school, completely unsure and with his stomach in knots. They'd walked most of the way to the restaurant in an uncomfortable silence before Harry decided they were being ridiculous and looped his arm with Snape's, asking after his day. That seemed to make the man relax slightly and they fell into light small talk about their week.

When they'd gotten to the restaurant, Harry was glad he'd had Pansy dress him in something formal (a silk green top with black slacks and Draco's black dragon hide boots), as it was the only restaurant in the village that required a reservation. Over dinner they had moved to more personal topics in their conversation, including Snape giving Harry some suggestions for Luna's necklace.

As they walked slowly back to Hogwarts side-by-side, enjoying the cool March night, Harry felt their hands brush and shivered.

"Are you cold?" Snape asked softly as they reached the old garden wall that surrounded the village.

Harry smiled shyly. "No, but thank you." Gathering his courage, he bit his lip and wrapped his fingers around Snape's. The man glanced at their adjoined hands, but didn't say anything, only curled his fingers around Harry's hand more tightly, and Harry breathed an internal sigh of relief. "I have to ask, Sir…what made you change your mind?"

Snape smirked at him. "What makes you think I did?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

Harry chuckled. "Well, it's either that or this is your method of mocking me, and I have to say that this is fairly elaborate, even for you, if that's the case."

Snape stopped walking as the gates came into sight. "Harry, I didn't change my mind, I didn't have to," He admitted. Harry turned to look at the man, confused. Snape stepped slowly forward so their chests were a hairs breadth apart. "I like you, Harry. A lot, apparently, though I didn't openly acknowledge it until you accosted me in class on Tuesday morning."

Harry frowned as he heard his own words echoed back at him. "Then why the run around? I felt terrible after you dismissed me from that detention. You weren't just dismissing me, but my feelings, and it felt like I was having my heart ripped out. Why didn't you just tell me?"

Snape grabbed Harry's other hand and held them both gently. "I couldn't, Harry. I'm not young, I needed time to adjust to these new emotions, and then I was afraid." Harry raised an eyebrow doubtfully. "Yes, Harry, I was scared. You have the power to hurt me. I've only had one or two real relationships in my life and both left me hurt and jaded. I fear that if you hurt me as well, there will be nothing left of me but a bitter old man who really _does_ hate the world, instead of only pretending to. I'm not handsome, or nice, or terribly romantic. I can be a git, you know that better than anyone, and I get jealous easily. I'm possessive. Once I have something, I tend to cling to it. Are you sure this is what you want?"

Harry raised his and Snape's hand to eye level and looked at it. He uncurled his palm and joined their fingers, before looking at the man before him. "I am. I can be cheeky, and insecure, and an all around bonehead sometimes. I fall in love easily, and once I do I hold onto it. I'm stubborn, and I like to goof around with my friends and get into stupid Gryffindor adventures with them. I flirt unintentionally, as everyone has pointed out, and I'm overly protective of everyone I hold dear to me. If you can live with all that, then we'll be fine."

Snape smirked and laid his forehead against Harry's gently. "I can live with it, though I'll have to watch for that flirting."

Harry smiled adoringly. "Good, then I just have one question." Snape looked at him questioningly and Harry pulled his hand away. He waved his wand and soft music filled the air. "Do we have to go back?"

The Potions Master quirked his lips in a small smile and pulled the Gryffindor into a loose embrace. "Not yet," He murmured, guiding the younger wizard into a slow dance. They stood swaying in the moonlight for several minutes before Snape spoke again. "Are we actually committing to this then?" He asked softly.

Harry raised his head from the man's shoulder so their eyes could meet. "I don't know about you, but I'm here for as long as you'll let me be. Dumbledore hinted to me that he expects Professor Davies to leave the Defense position open for next year, so there's nothing to stop us from continuing."

"Your mastery?" Snape asked.

"I'm taking that test instead of my Defense NEWT, and Professor Davies says the outlook is…promising. Think you could date a colleague?" Harry teased.

"Depends on which one," Snape teased back, smirking. Harry grinned as Snape pulled him close again.

After a few more minutes of dancing to the conjured music, they continued on their trek back to the castle. "I hear Hagrid's in the market," Harry remarked casually as they reached the gate.

Snape used their still clasped hands to pull Harry around and cupped his jaw, their breath mingling as they stood terribly close. "Cheeky brat," He murmured against Harry's lips.

"Yeah, but at least now I'm _your_ cheeky brat," Harry replied softly, reaching up to pull the Potions Master into an insistent, soul-searing kiss that promised eternity.

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A/N: I know it's a corny ending, but it demanded to be written 'as is'.


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